Today, Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lavora Barnes joined local health care advocates to reiterate calls for a special open enrollment period to ensure that Michiganders can access the health care coverage they need during the Coronavirus pandemic. As roughly a quarter of Michigan’s workforce is unemployed, with 219,320 people filing last week alone, reopening the marketplaces for a special enrollment period would help those who have lost their job, as well as the more than half a million Michiganders who are uninsured, more easily and rapidly get comprehensive coverage.
With the public health crisis hitting the Great Lakes state hard, the advocates also called for elected officials and candidates to stand up for Michiganders’ health care. President Trump has blocked a special open enrollment period and doubled down on the GOP-led lawsuit to remove the health care law.
“The Coronavirus is hitting Michigan harder than almost anywhere else in the country, and now more than ever Michiganders are desperately seeking access to quality, affordable health care,” said Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lavora Barnes. “We’re calling on the Trump administration to stop their relentless war on health care, and immediately hold a special open enrollment period to allow families in our state to get the coverage they need.”
“Health care for Michigan families should not be a partisan issue, especially during a pandemic. We know communities of color are more likely to be uninsured and are being disproportionately impacted by this crisis,” said Kate Kohn-Parrott, President of Greater Detroit Area Health Council. “A special enrollment period would ensure that we can expand access to health care at a time when our communities need it most.”
“Michiganders are facing the biggest public health crisis in a century, and urgently need access to health care,” said Farhan Bhatti, CEO of Care Free Medical. “Reopening the health care exchange would be a critical first step to making that happen – officials across the state need to stand up and call on this Administration to make that happen.”
